The Systems Challenge-Chapter 456: The Guest part 3

The next morning saw Kim getting up earlier than usual. There wasn't really a reason Kim could think of other than some of what Samantha telling them that kept her from getting back to sleep once she opened her eyes at false dawn.

It wasn't that the light was disturbing her sleep, but rather the thoughts that were going through her head that kept making her more and more alert. Not only was there the issue of trying to get to the dungeon before Stanley and his group, since she knew it was only a matter of time before they chose to camp out at the dungeon they all started in, but then there was the fact that the king was supposed to be coming out this morning with the food supplies that Samantha had promised.

Although, Kim had a feeling that they'd have to meet them at the gate as well, since that's where Samantha had known to meet them. Unless the guards who had been on duty at that time had already reported to someone who then reported it to another person and so on until it reached the king's ears of where Kim and Samantha had gone to after they'd left the gate.

Though, as she thought about that, her gaze unconsciously shifted towards the gate. Where she saw a wagon heading towards her. Which was surprising since the gate didn't open normally until the sun was starting to rise. Which was clearly a little bit off still.

Kim stood up, wondering what possibilities the wagon presented. Either it was someone who just couldn't wait to head away from the city or it was the food supplies that Samantha had promised.

While it wasn't likely that someone would wait all night to just give up waiting just before the gate would be opening, Kim couldn't say that the possibility was non-existent. Just incredibly unlikely.

Which left the other possibility that it was the food supplies Samantha had said would be arriving in the morning. Only she also had said that they king would be coming with them. Which made sense that the wagon would be able to leave before the usual time for the gate to open. As the king certainly could just order the gate open with the guards not being able to do anything about it, since the king really was the ultimate authority in this land. Especially when it came to them keeping their jobs.

Since there wasn't anything she could do to prevent this encounter, Kim figured she should at least wake Jonas and Owen. As they would likely prefer being up to see what was going to happen. Elwin and Patricia might have been options she would have considered if they hadn't proven themselves too hotheaded in Kim's opinion.

While she wasn't surprised to see a group of horsemen with the wagon, it was still too dark, and too far away, to make out how many there were. With Samantha, Kim had made sure the guards spaced themselves out so the others would be able to see how many there were, even though there had been more light at that time than there was right now.

However, she expected that there would be at least four guards with the king, making it five horses in addition to whatever horses there were pulling the cart in the first place. While Kim wanted them to go faster, she doubted they would do so, even if she was there prompting them. All she could do was wait for them to reach their camp.

"Slow night," Patrick remarked, startling Kim.

Even though she knew he was on the last watch, she hadn't thought about him at all when she'd first opened her eyes that morning. Not that she found it that surprising. She hardly thought about Patrick at all in general since they'd combined their groups. As even when he was doing something active or participating in their discussions, Kim hardly felt that he stood out. It was more like he was there and an extra than a main character if this was a series or something.

"At least we should be able to move on soon," Kim answered hopefully. She hoped that the king would use the technicality of him promising only to hold them if he found them in the city as an excuse why he wouldn't hold them until Lance and the other 'kidnapped' children were brought back safely.

"Yeah, I watched it get bigger from when it first appeared at the gate," Patrick remarked, sounding like he was ready to fall asleep where he sat.

"Yeah, I'm sure the king's there with it, though I'm hoping he'll just let us go rather than hold us since we're outside the city."

"it's possible. Though, I'd be more worried that the food Samantha had the king bring us won't be too little for what w might need."

"As long as it gets us into the dungeon, " Jonas asked, sitting up from where he had been laying down. "Even if we have to fight Stanley and his group, I seriously doubt it'll add that much more time onto getting Blot into the dungeon. Though, I be we'll probably have to try and find the room we started in as well. You know, just something to make this more of a headache than it would be otherwise."

Patrick nodded, showing his full support for Jonas' idea. "I would like to see the faces of the parents of the 'kids' you guys 'kidnapped' when they learn that you were so close and the king let you go."

Kim sighed. She hoped it wouldn't come to that, but she wouldn't be surprised if it did either. She mostly hoped that shew wouldn't be around long enough on this world to learn about that herself. Especially since she had a feeling that Lance, Guy, and the others weren't going to come back willingly. Not even if it was so save Kim from a headache that she'd likely have to endure until they chose to come back on their own.

"Well, the king'll be here soon," Jonas remarked. "How many do you think will be with him? Guards, I mean. How many guards. I'm guessing there'll be five."

"I'm going to go with four," Patrick added. "Your turn, Kim."

Kim couldn't help but roll her eyes. She really didn't care to participate in this game, even though she could see the benefit of taking her mind off where the wagon was at the moment. As it was likely akin to watching a pot until it starts boiling. It would just feel like it took longer than it actually did once it started to boil.

"I'll say he'll have as many as he'll have," Kim replied, not caring what their reaction to her statement would be.

"You're no fun," Patrick whined.

"At least she'd doing a better job of keeping watch than you are," Owen remarked as he started to get up and yawned. "Best I can tell, you find this a game to you. Something that you can just restart if something goes wrong."

"Sure thing, grandpa," Patrick moaned sarcastically. "I know its not a game. You don't have to say anything to me about that."

"I know I don't have to say anything, because I'm not your grandpa or anything in relation to you aside from a member of the same group as you."

"Could you keep it down?" Elmo moaned, as he turned over in his sleep, still curled up next to Jonas.

"Well, at least we know one thing that's still going on," Kim remarked with a smirk.

"Yeah, same thing as what's going on with you," Jonas replied, smiling at Kim in return as he motioned towards Elin also curled up against Kim.

Kim merely shook her head in response, merely saying, "Whatever."

Kim tuned out the conversation among the others, and watched the wagon as it approached. She didn't see any point in participating further with the conversation herself, especially since her interest in it had already faded away completely.

The light continued to grow as the wagon grew closer to them. By the time the wagon reached their camp, it was light enough to easily make out the horsemen from each other. A total of seven, the king and six guards. Each of whom eyed Kim and the others suspiciously. Even Samantha and her guards seemed to receive the same treatment for whatever reason.

"It's good to see all of you again," the king greeted as he rode up.

"Not so loud," Elmo moaned, sounding rather annoyed. "Still sleeping."

"So, why'd you decide to come out personally for this?" Kim asked, not seeing a reason to show that they were aware of the kidnapping accusation that stood against them.

"It's complicated," the king said as he dismounted. "I was hoping I could discuss it with all of you over breakfast."

Kim sighed. Looking at the others, she could see that they weren't opposed to the idea, just like she expected. She doubted she would like where this led, but it wasn't like she'd have much support in opposing it. Although, part of her wasn't really that surprised. As it wasn't like they knew what the king was going to say anyway.